Rural Electrification

Sunkalp Energy’s Rural Electrification project at Gulabganj, powered by our Solar Soldiers campaign has been widely covered in the news. If you need assistance with your CSR campaigns and feel that your organization wants to empower lives, contact us!

Many experts have suggested that solar power in India will reach grid parity much before the grid is enlarged into rural areas. Therefore, solar will be in a stage to deliver power at a reasonable price as an alternative to having a complete functioning grid in India. It is estimated that 1-2 GW of solar power will be required for the 1 lakh un-electrified villages in the country, not to mention the solar power requirements of un-electrified households of electrified villages.

This provides immense opportunities for NGOs and private organisations alike to work towards rural electrification. The incentives offered by the govt. for these rural projects include:

Solar PV plants in micro-grid mode/local distribution network, to meet unmet community need for power in unelectrified rural areas, a capital subsidy of Rs 150/Wp is provided, and it is stated that a capital subsidy of up to 90% of installation cost can potentially be availed.

In Difficult-to-reach areas such as Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and districts on India’s borders, the subsidy availed will be 90%.

For special category states viz. NE, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, subsidy is fixed at Rs. 90 per Wp (with battery storage), and at around Rs. 70 per Wp (without battery storage) for 2010.

o meet unmet community demand for electricity or in unelectrified rural areas, standalone rural SPV power plants with battery storage in a micro grid mode/local distribution network, would be provided Rs.150/Wp of capital subsidy AND soft loan at 5%.

Considering the high push by the government and the large opportunity for changing the lives of millions in a developing India, rural solar SPV projects are picking up pace in the country.

Pilot for grid independent solar power projects in four villages across Bihar, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu

Chattisgarh Renewable Energy Development Authority (CREDA) worked towards the development of Chattisgarh and electrified over 400 villages in one of Chattisgarh’s remotest regions. This project empowered more than 100,000 people in the tribal state and illuminating thousands of households.

There are many more such examples of SPV plants springing up in the countryside to make millions of lives better.